The sheep from the training programme were used in a research project involving the inhalation of a potential anti-cancer compound through a nebuliser,
CATIE McLEOD: Veterinarians slaughtered 12 sheep by cutting their throats without stunning them first as part of a training program two top NSW universities ran for years without animal ethics approval. Newly uncovered documents reveal the University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University course breached ethical requirements and caused “significant adverse impacts” on the welfare of the animals used.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries, which provided a facility for the course, launched an investigation into the programme after concerns were raised about a 2017 training project in which a dozen sheep were killed… According to the document, three of the 12 sheep were used in an inhalation experiment before they were killed.
Participants described the sheep as “near death” and in poor condition, with the investigation finding it was questionable whether they were fit for transport. They were fully conscious when their throats were slit, despite there being no learning objectives in the course for killing animals…
Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst has accused the DPI of a “failure of effective self-regulation” by allowing the course to go ahead in its facility. She said it was “shocking” the course had been allowed to continue for so long and that it appeared the department took “no real disciplinary action” following the investigation.
The Animal Justice Party – which holds two upper house seats in NSW – is calling for an inquiry to investigate the use of animals in experimentation. “Animal experimentation is one of the most hidden of all animal-use industries in Australia, with virtually no transparency or accountability,” Hurst said…
DPI director general Scott Hansen last month played down the department’s involvement in the sheep killing incident, telling a parliamentary hearing the training course was delivered by the universities… He acknowledged that investigations by the DPI and the University of Sydney animal ethics committee both found there appeared to have been no animal ethics approval for the course…
A University of Sydney spokeswoman said the incident involved a pathology training programme for practising veterinarians not university students. She said some of the sheep from the training programme were used in a research project involving the inhalation of a potential anti-cancer compound through a nebuliser… She said the university was extremely concerned when it was made aware of this situation and immediately launched an investigation. SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEOS: